SaS Urges Health Minister Dolinkova to Start Dialogue with Doctors and Nurses(2)

Bratislava, October 1 (TASR) - The opposition SaS party called on Health Minister Zuzana Dolinkova (Voice-SD) to start a dialogue with doctors and nurses, who threaten to file mass notices over consolidation measures in the health care, TASR learnt on Tuesday. SaS considers the situation unacceptable and believes that Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) should intervene. "The health care system is tottering on the verge of collapse. However, Health Minister Zuzana Dolinkova is in hiding and doesn't talk to anyone. Doctors and nurses have been asking the minister for a meeting, but she absurdly fails to reply, even despite the fact that thousands of doctors and nurses are threatening to leave. This situation is unacceptable and ripe for an intervention by Prime Minister Robert Fico. After all, it's unimaginable for him to tolerate as the minister someone who fails to do her tasks or even communicate with labour unions and representatives of her own portfolio," declared SaS chair Branislav Groehling. MP Tomas Szalay asked the minister to start doing her job. "If the minister has a problem meeting with nurses and doctors, we're asking her to meet us. We will convey to her the problems and demands of her sector," he added. With respect to the current situation in the health sector, minister Dolinkova reaped criticism also from non-parliamentary 'Democrats' party, which insisted that the government is gambling with the health of the people. "We're asking Prime Minister Fico, Health Minister Dolinkova and Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (Smer-SD) to put an immediate stop to this endangering of the provision of public health care in Slovakia. Patients need quality care and not doctors and nurses on strike or in notice periods," said party chair Jaroslav Nad. mf/mcs